Pubdate: Fri, 13 Sep 2002
Source: Daily Gazette (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The Gazette Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.dailygazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/105
Author: Stanley Aronowitz

GREEN PARTY OFFERS TRUE ALTERNATIVE

The Green Party is fielding a full slate of candidates for statewide office 
this year. I am its candidate for governor.

We are not embarrassed to invoke the word "taxes." We are boldly running on 
a tax-and-spend program. New York state's urgent environmental, health, 
education, housing and transportation needs cannot be adequately addressed 
unless we enact new taxes. While most middle-income people pay too much, 
those with higher incomes pay too little.

For a start, as governor, I would propose a new 2 percent general welfare 
tax on incomes above the maximum Social Security tax, $80,800 a year with 
no exemptions or deductions. It would add more than $4 billion to the state 
treasury.

We are also for unconditional repeal of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. We favor 
decriminalizing marijuana.

We propose the immediate closing of the Indian Point Nuclear Power plant, 
an extensive cleanup and provisions for its workers. We favor the eventual 
shutdown of the state's other nuclear facilities; the re- funding of the 
environmental Superfund, which is now broke; and stiff fines for corporate 
polluters.

Finally, the Green Party calls for the restoration of democracy to the 
state's government. Now all important decisions, especially the budget, are 
made by three men: the governor, Assembly speaker and Senate majority 
leader. The people elect representatives, but they are little more than 
lobbyists rather than genuine legislators.

The Legislature should be a deliberative body and its process should be 
transparent, so that the people are let into the act. We favor a system of 
proportional representation to allow the state's six smaller ballot 
parties, as well as the two major parties, to participate in governance.

The Democratic and Republican parties have converged. Their economic 
policies are nearly identical - promoting corporate welfare at the expense 
of small business and the rest of us. My job is to start a public 
conversation, to show voters they have a choice.

Stanley Aronowitz, New York
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager